Lance “Un” Rivera Responds to Jay-Z Roots Picnic Freestyle With Open Letter

Lance “Un” Rivera is responding after Jay-Z referenced their infamous 1999 stabbing incident during his recent Roots Picnic freestyle, sharing an open letter that calls on the rap icon to move beyond the past before later expanding on his frustrations in an interview with The Art of Dialogue.

In the letter, Rivera praised Jay-Z’s influence as one of hip-hop’s most important figures while encouraging him to use his platform to inspire healing, unity and leadership rather than revisiting decades-old violence. He wrote that Jay-Z’s voice “still matters” because it reaches communities that often feel overlooked and argued that his legacy could have an even greater impact by focusing on hope instead of conflict.

After publishing the letter, Rivera addressed Jay-Z’s freestyle during an interview, admitting he wasn’t particularly impressed with the lyric.

“I thought it was not one of the best bars that he’s had,” Rivera said. “I think what people need to understand is that most of Jay-Z’s intentions are purely based on marketing rollouts. I was part of the rollout for the products that’s going out right now in the streets. So, I fell victim to that.”

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Rivera went on to say he believes he’s repeatedly been used as a reference point whenever Jay-Z wants to reinforce his reputation.

“I’m used over and over again in that capacity,” Rivera said. “From the beginning, it’s always been about marketing. I continue to be the joke.”

He also questioned why the stabbing continues to be revisited so many years later.

“He talks about trauma, but what about my trauma?” Rivera said. “What about people who lived trauma? He keeps bringing it back up and back up.”

While Rivera said he has no issue with Jay-Z continuing to build his business empire, he argued that repeatedly referencing the incident sends the wrong message.

“If you want to send the message to your brand and your partnerships that you’re dangerous… using me as an example of how dangerous you are just to sell products, then that’s up to him,” Rivera said. “I’m not against him making money… find another way to make you a tough guy, a bad guy. Stop using me to do it. Unless you’re going to pay me, send me a check. I’ll be a part of your marketing strategy.”

Rivera also acknowledged that the tone of his interview differed from the more measured approach of his open letter, explaining that he originally hoped to handle the matter privately.

“Even with the open letter, I wanted to do it privately,” Rivera said. “I don’t want to be… but he puts me out here in a sort of negative light, and right now it’s starting to become a little bit redundant.”

Jay-Z’s latest lyric is far from the first time he’s referenced the altercation. He previously alluded to the stabbing on 2002’s “I Did It My Way,” took a more humorous approach on 2005’s “Dear Summer,” and reflected on the incident during 2017’s “Kill Jay Z.” The Roots Picnic freestyle marked at least the fourth time the episode has appeared in his music, making Rivera’s latest response notably different from previous reactions.

Toward the end of the interview, Rivera also revisited the incident itself, saying he has already spoken about it publicly in the past.

“I was put in a position where I was surrounded by multiple weapons,” he said. “Anybody who’s ever been put in that position… knows you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do to stay alive. That’s really what happened.”

The stabbing occurred in December 1999 at the Kit Kat Club in New York during the release party for Q-Tip’s album Amplified. Jay-Z later pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault in connection with the incident, receiving three years probation.

Rivera has since repeatedly said he has forgiven Jay-Z, but his latest comments suggest he believes it’s time for the billionaire rapper to stop revisiting one of hip-hop’s most infamous moments.